latest from Palestine

by Ehab - Abid Fri Jun 30, 2006 06:12

Israel wrong for arresting palestinian law makers. Also why wont America do something about this because their is also no power in Gaza Strip and the Palestinians are getting always blamed for everything.

by The Cat Fri Jun 30, 2006 07:23

Why what? I am going to take it that you want someone to tell you why USA are not rushing to aid the Palestinians. You must have been in solitary for the past few months. In an election that is accepted as fair and free the Palestinians voted in a Hamas majority. Hamas use suicide bombers to inflict maximum damage on non-tactical soft targets, such as buses. For some reason the USA found this tradition to be unhelpful, must be something to do with their 'war on terror'. In any case, Hamas, like Hizbollah are blacklisted by the USA.

While a Hamas government exists in Palestine USA will not assist Palestine.

The Cat

by ian Fri Jun 30, 2006 10:37

Its foolish to think the US could or would step in and help the palestinians since they are the ones that are funding this incursion (invasion?). And if its about terrorism, why then does it support a country with an atrocious human rights record, in violation of international law, and against the international consensus? Anyone who looks at the US as a "peace-keeping" nation should first open up a history book (Guatemala, Indonesia, Columbia etc. etc. etc.), and if thats too much effort, take a look at their contratictory stances towards countries such as Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan etc to find out what type of "democracy" is acceptable, and what type is not.

Collective punishment of palestinians, in the witholding of aid (from many other countries too), and of money owed (in Israels case), not to mention destroying civilian insfrastructure is against the geneva convention. But who will care? Seemingly a terrorist is not a person who kills innocent civilians, but only a person who cant affoard an army to do it for them. No electricity means no water purification, which will lead to desiese, scare tactics such as sonic booms over refugee camps have lead to psychological damage in children, not to mention the innocent people/ collateral damge who will loose their lives.

Anyone who thinks they can defend israels actions in the name of fighting terrorism are no different to people who can condone the targeted killing of innocents in suicide bombings for the cause of national liberation. And anyone who is in doubt about who suffers the most should take a look at the related link, but again this is only a slice of the damage Israels occupation of Palestine has caused.

by events Fri Jun 30, 2006 10:58

Israel yet again shows itself to be the World's Number 1 Terrorist.

by Ali ibn Sharmootah Fri Jun 30, 2006 22:46

The Hamas Charter has never changed. They clearly state in that charter that peace negotiations are NOT an option:
http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/mideast/hamas.htm
Article Thirteen:

Initiatives, and so-called peaceful solutions and international conferences, are in contradiction to the principles of the Islamic Resistance Movement. Abusing any part of Palestine is abuse directed against part of religion. Nationalism of the Islamic Resistance Movement is part of its religion. Its members have been fed on that. For the sake of hoisting the banner of Allah over their homeland they fight. "Allah will be prominent, but most people do not know."

Hamas is the problem.

by Cormac Eile Thu Jul 06, 2006 13:56

Apart from having stolen the land upon which the Israeli state is founded, Israel is a terrorist state.

Why do so many people think that a suicide bomber (a heinous crime) is any worse than an Israeli Defence Force stooge firing a rocket into public areas filled with civilians, or an Israeli jet firing missiles into residential or commercial areas, or an Israeli naval vessel firing naval artillery at a family picnicing on a beach?

The answer is that the Israelis are WORSE, because they have overwhelming power and are deliberately pressurising and murdering palestinians in order to drive them out. Under the definition of Genocide, as defined by that heroic jewish legal scholar Rapael Lemkin.

Genocide is defined by the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (CPPCG) Article 2 as "any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group, as such: Killing members of the group; Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group; Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part; Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group; and forcibly transferring children of the group to another group."

Lemkin said about the definition of genocide in its original adoption for international law at the Geneva Conventions:

Generally speaking, genocide does not necessarily mean the immediate destruction of a nation, except when accomplished by mass killings of all members of a nation. It is intended rather to signify a coordinated plan of different actions aiming at the destruction of essential foundations of the life of national groups, with the aim of annihilating the groups themselves. The objectives of such a plan would be the disintegration of the political and social institutions, of culture, language, national feelings, religion, and the economic existence of national groups, and the destruction of the personal security, liberty, health, dignity, and even the lives of the individuals belonging to such groups.

Lemkin was and remains a true hero for all human beings.

Israel's policy is to cleanse the land of all other ethnicity, excepting those they find useful. The US will not allow them to succeed 100%, as the US needs the ongoing conflict to further it's policy of divide and rule in the middle east.

by Arthur Kennedy Thu Jul 06, 2006 20:23

"Why do so many people think that a suicide bomber (a heinous crime) is any worse than an Israeli Defence Force stooge firing a rocket into public areas filled with civilians,"

The brave freedom fighters of "palestine" fire their missiles from public areas. It's a traditioona; palestinian technique to keep fighting men and weapons among their women and children. The kids become "martyrs" and the "palestinians" get a little PR.

by Cormac Eile Thu Jul 06, 2006 20:34

Perhaps they do that. But I bet you're relying on the media reports which are generally penned in full by the IDF PR organisation.

In any case, my argument still stands.

Furthermore, it is a war crime to fire into civilians in that manner, by either side.

The difference is that this is portrayed as a conflict of equals, where each side is equally wrong. This is not the case. Israel is a massive military force, and it is a country that has stolen its territory from people who rightfully own it. It is behaving EXACTLY as the Nazi government did, except for one thing. They have not yet started to murder Palestinians on an Industrial scale. However, as Lemkin demonstrated, such murder is not necessary to sustain a charge of genocide. Israel is committing a slow and gradual genocide on the Palestinians.

by PaddyK Sun Jul 09, 2006 15:41

Latest from Palestine indeed.

According to the Sunday independent there is no latest from Palestine.....thats it ! Nothing is happening. No massive Human rights abuses. No collective punishment of 1.5milloin civilians, no ground invasion into the "free Gaza" Killing scores of people including women and children, no abducted Palestinian ministers. Not even Mark Dooley with his establishment propaganda. Nothing at all ! Well... nothing that merits more than Nine lines in the "News in Brief" section saying that the Israelis will not talk to the Palstinians until they get the Israeli /French soldier back who was captured in a Palestinian raid against Israeli forces. This soldier was in a tank Unit and was stationed off the Border of Gaza, presumably shelling the Palestinians as thats what tanks do when they have no enemy tanks to fight.

Shame on the Sunday Independent , shame on the editors and the "journalists". The Irish Media now excels in towing the line from Tel Aviv and Washington. Collaborating with the occupation and the Mass punishment of children by helping to hide it from public view is your achievement today. Well Done

So.. Theres nothing going on in Palestine ! Its official ! Irelands leading newspaper confirms it today.

Thanks a million and a half from the people of Gaza!

by Arthur Kennedy Mon Jul 10, 2006 05:48

"This soldier was in a tank Unit and was stationed off the Border of Gaza, presumably shelling the Palestinians as thats what tanks do when they have no enemy tanks to fight."

Basic problem Paddy me boy. The Israeli soldier was within the magical Green line, and the only ones doing the firing were the peace activists of gaza, who began firing missiles into Israel the day after they withdrew.
So now, the idiots of palestine have literally destroyed their only hope for statehood. They've shown the world, that if left to their own devices, they will continue to do the same suicidal activites that they always have done.

by Arthur Guinness Mon Jul 10, 2006 13:23

Arthur Arthur Arthur, why don't you just throw in the towel? You've been stalking every thread related to Palestine on this site for the last few weeks and all you've managed to do is discredit the Zionist cause with your hateful bigotry and refusal to acknowledge the basic facts of the situation. Even Noel, who is an ugly-minded racist himself, has done a better job than you. It's great to have you damaging your own cause, but honestly, in your own interest, it might be a good idea to bow out and leave the arguments to people who live in the real world.

by The Cat Mon Jul 10, 2006 14:15

When I read "Latest from Palestine" and saw the name Arthur Guinness together in 'latest comments' I went straight for it. What a dissapointment. Still, I'll bet John Ging over in UNRWA knows where to get a pint o' plain out here.

by PaddyK Mon Jul 10, 2006 14:33

"The Israeli soldier was within the magical Green line, "

Interesting concept,Arthur K. ; that the Green line has magical properties. By implication you accept the sovereignty of the Palestinian people on lands East of the Green Line and in Gaza and East Jerusalem and know that removal of the immigrants from the Internationally proposed Palestinian territory is the first magical step towards a just solution. Acknowledging the the basis of the Internationally endorsed territorial solution would be the first magic step, even the recently abducted Palestinian government are prepared to agree to that compromise for peace. You are endorsing the restoration of the rights of the Palestinians by clarifying where all Israeli soldiers should be stationed. It is the task of the Israelis to grasp the concept of your magical line theory, then undertake the project of finally fixing the true location of their country's borders upon this line. In doing so they will have magically avoided the slow inevitable stranglehold of international embargo which , as more and more people start to accept your magical line solution, will crush the life out of the Israeli economy.

I commend your foresight Arthur K. in highlighting how the Israelis can avoid that.

But my point above was that the Sunday Independent's News Curfew on the Siege of Gaza and on it's horrific consequences for the Palestinian civilian population, whilst simultaneously devoting a page and a half to Big Brother, confirms its status as Ireland's fastest growing embarrassment.